PREMIER League footballer Joey Barton was arrested following a fight outside a Liverpool nightclub.

The Huyton-born Queens Park Rangers midfielder, 29, was involved in an early-hours bust-up while on a night out with girlfriend Georgia McNeil – mum to his six-month-old son Cassius.

After the incident outside Garlands nightclub Barton, well-known for his opinionated Twitter outbursts, tweeted: “I got sucker punched in the back of the head. Not injured as reported just a small bruise on rear of head/ear. I’ve had worse.

“Life goes on! Thanks for the concern. Have a good day people.”

Later he tweeted: “Not planning on pressing charges as it’s not that serious. The police have also got better things to do with their time.

“Can I just say a public thanks to the police last night as they were, and have been today, brilliant.”

Police arrested two 21-year-old men from Old Swan at the scene and they were taken for questioning before being released on bail.

Then, yesterday afternoon Barton and another man, aged 20, were also arrested.

Both were later released on bail.

A picture showing a shirtless Barton and a visibly upset Ms McNeil had also been published on Twitter earlier in the day..

The controversial footballer is under investigation by QPR after he was given a 12-match ban by the Football Association. He was banned by English football’s governing body after being sent off during QPR’s defeat at Manchester City on the final day of Premier League season. During the match he elbowed one Manchester City player, kicked out at a second and attempted to headbutt a third.

Police last night confirmed a 29-year-old man from the Widnes area had been arrested on suspicion of affray and was questioned. He was later bailed

A police spokeswoman said: “Police were called to Eberle Street in Liverpool city centre at 5.30am following reports of an altercation.

“On arrival officers found a 29-year-old man who had sustained injuries to his face. The man left the scene voluntarily.”

News of the fight was widely commented on by Twitter users with the words Joey Barton and Garlands trending throughout the day.

@JoshGore_11, who claimed to have been at the scene, said Barton “looked in a bad way” after the fight.

Barton has a long history of controversy both on and off the pitch.

In the wake of his dismissal against Manchester City he launched an expletive-laden Twitter attack on Shearer, his ex-Newcastle manager and current Match of the Day pundit, before turning on the programme’s presenter Gary Lineker saying: “back under your stone you odious little toad...”

In a statement released before Barton’s arrest QPR spokesman Ian Taylor said: “Joey Barton was involved in an incident in Liverpool city centre in the early hours of Monday morning.

“Barton was on his way home from a night out with his girlfriend when two men sang offensive chants and then proceeded to hit the QPR midfielder.”

The club declined to comment further following news of the arrest of their player.